Take Me Home by Nancy Herkness Page B

turning the big vehicle around as quickly as he could in the limited space. She threw him a grateful glance.
    “Brianna, are you there, sweetie? I just wanted to let you know that I’m on my way over there. Everything will be all right.”
    Claire winced as the muffled sound of a man shouting came through the receiver. She braced herself against the door as Tim took the mountain road’s sharp turns at a significantly higher speed than he had during their leisurely ascent. He must have figured out the urgency of the situation from her side of the conversation.
    “Okay, Aunt Claire, we’re in the closet,” Brianna whispered. “Mama and Papa didn’t notice us.”
    “You did really well, sweetie. You’re a very smart, brave girl. I have to hang up for a few minutes so I can get there faster. If you get scared or something else happens, call me back. I’ll be there very soon.”
    “All right, but hurry. I don’t want Papa to hurt Mama.”
    “Oh God!” Claire said, dropping her head in her hands for a brief moment after she disconnected. Holly’s situation was so much worse than she had ever dreamed. The car banked hard left, and she grabbed for the Jesus handle, saying, “Thank you for turning around so quickly.”
    “No problem,” Tim said as he finished manhandling the SUV through an S curve. “Where are we headed once we get off the mountain?”
    “Rolling Meadows. The new development. Holly’s on Cornsilk Lane. We need to get there fast. Evidently, Frank has hit Holly before, and Brianna is afraid it’s going to happen again. He’s shouting and throwing things.”
    “I know a shortcut there, but it’s going to be bumpy.”
    “As long as your car will survive, I’m good with that. Should I call the police? Oh God, Holly will hate me for dragging them into her private affairs.”
    “Did Brianna say anything about Frank having a gun?”
    “No, and I know my sister made him get rid of his hunting rifles when Brianna was born.”
    “Then I think I can handle him, if you’re afraid it would upset your sister to have the police involved.”
    Claire looked over at her companion. His gaze was locked on the road unspooling crazily back and forth in front of them. His hands seemed to envelop the steering wheel, holding the heavy SUV steady as they raced down the mountain.
    Even in the roomy interior, Tim took up a lot of space. “You can certainly handle him, but the police might get there faster.”
    “We’ll be there in under ten minutes. Hold on,” he said, wrenching the car off the asphalt and onto an old dirt logging road.
    Claire’s teeth snapped together as they hit the first bump, so she remained silent until they made it to the blessed smoothness of pavement again.
    “Just so you know, Frank asked Holly for a divorce two days ago,” she said as Tim turned into Rolling Meadows. “She hired Paul Taggart to represent her. I don’t know what Frank would be upset about, since it was his idea to split up.”
    “The man’s wife is seriously ill and he can’t hold off on the divorce until she’s healthy? What a bastard! Which house?”
    “Third one on the right.”
    Tim was opening his door before the car had stopped rolling. Claire kicked off her high heels and followed him at a run up the front walk. He gestured her to stop as they reached the front door. He turned the knob gently and cracked the door open so they could get an idea of what was happening inside.
    Holly’s voice came through the opening with horrifying clarity. “Please, Frank, no!
Please
put her down!”

C LAIRE BOLTED INTO the house, ignoring Tim’s protest. All she could think of was that Frank was threatening one of his daughters.
    She skidded on the polished marble tiles in the tiny entry-way and felt Tim’s steadying hand on her back, but she wasn’t stopping. She burst into the living room to find Frank standing by the fireplace, brandishing one of the Royal Doulton figurines. Her knees nearly buckled with relief